Gezicht op het plein van Majalaya en bergen op de achtergrond, West-Java c. 1816 - 1846

This pencil drawing showing a view of the square of Majalaya with mountains in the background, West Java, was made by Adrianus Johannes Bik. Bik lived and worked in the Dutch East Indies where he painted landscapes and genre scenes. This drawing offers us a glimpse into the colonial gaze of the Dutch. The seemingly simple scene captures the Javanese landscape, but it also subtly highlights the power dynamics inherent in colonial relationships. The artist, as an outsider, positions himself to capture this scene. What does it mean to represent a place and its people through the eyes of a colonizer? How much of the local perspective is lost or misrepresented in this image? Consider how the act of sketching itself can be interpreted as a form of appropriation, reducing a complex reality into a simplified, consumable image for a European audience. This piece offers a starting point to reflect on the complexities of cultural exchange and the lasting impact of colonialism on both the colonizer and the colonized.